Jeffery Lee Jones

Jeff Jones, 59,  of Merkel passed away Friday, August 20, 2021, after experiencing difficulties with Covid-19.  Jeff was the younger son of Ed and Jane Jones. He was born September 10, 1961 in Italy.

    Jeff graduated from Merkel High School in 1979. He pursued a career in the oilfield for most of his life.

    Jeff married Candi McPherson on July 30, 2003, in Merkel. Together they built a  life they loved that included three daughters, a son, a daughter-in-law, and a granddaughter on the way. Jeff was a devoted family man. He made every ballgame and stock show he could when he wasn’t working out-of-town or overseas. He was always his childrens’ biggest supporter. He believed in hard work and working hard. He was so proud of the work ethic each of his children exhibited. He could not wait until his granddaughter arrived early next year. He briefed his people every Friday with an update on baby Hadley Grace, including her size and activities. 

    Jeff enjoyed cooking for his family and the neighborhood. He always invited people to come and eat at his house. If you declined, he demanded you at least taste his latest creation, which was always fabulous and spicy.  His ribs were legendary. Everyone looked forward to his homemade chili that he cooked on the first cold day in the fall. 

    Jeff was the self-appointed Village Elder of the Heath Street Hooligans. He kept the neighborhood safe by watching the stop sign on his corner of the street. He often gave demerits for running his stop sign, driving too fast, leaving your Christmas lights up until February, or being too sassy. No punishment ever became of his demerits; it was enough to know you had received one.

    Because Jeff loved the beach,  he created a peaceful hideaway in his backyard, where he enjoyed many, many hours watching NASCAR, cooking, swimming, and analyzing various news shows. He knew what he believed in and what he stood for and made no apologies for it. He proudly flew his Come and Take  It and Trump flags. If you had any questions about politics, he was happy, almost giddy, to share his opinions. 

    Jeff was an avid gardener. He often mowed his lawn in the heat of the day. He waged war on weeds in his yard. His backyard was filled with plants he watered, but he was not allowed to fertilizer them anymore due to an unfortunate incident. He had a knack for growing catalpa trees. They just appeared in every pot and sidewalk crack in his yard. He gently transferred them to bigger pots until he could plant them strategically in the neighborhood. 

    Jeff was preceded in death by his parents.

    Jeff is survived by his wife of 18 years, Candi Jones; three daughters, Amy Jones of Frisco, Nicole Thomas of Lubbock, and Angel Oliver of Merkel; a son and daughter-in-law, Ryder and Hanna Thomas of Merkel; a brother, Wes Jones of Port Aransas; a granddaughter due in February; and many friends. 

    Services for Jeff will be  Friday, August 27, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Trent, Texas.

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